If you recognise the above quote, then you’ll have an idea about what this post is about. For those of you who don’t, go forth and read a book series called The Dresden Files. Anyhow, I’m here to talk to you about wizards!

So, I’ve discovered another LARP I’m keen to attend. This one’s called Ravenswood Institute, and the short version is it’s a wizard university, one that’s completely unaffiliated with the one we do not name. It’s a spin off of an earlier game, Kingsford School of Witchcraft, that ran in Adelaide a while ago. I stumbled across Kingsford a while back, after it’s 2 runs, so I’m glad I have the chance to play in something inspired by it. Sure, a Wizard school may not seem like my thing, but I’ve been wanting to play one for a while and this should get it out of my system. That and, shock horror, I kinda want to try something new… I’ve been struggling a lot of late with what sort of game I enjoy. I withdrew from a tabletop that a housemate is starting soon, because I can’t cope with survival horror games right now (or really at all), and to sanitise it to make it fit for me would remove the point of the game. So, I made the decision to drop out. Not an easy thing, but I’m happy I managed it. Anyhow, back on topic, there’s the added factor of the event having a structure, as opposed to the fest LARP issue of “I’m here, what the hell do I do now?” (Yes, I’m certain most fest LARP’s have policies in place to deal with that, but I still struggle with being around new people.)

Sure, Western Australia in late June isn’t exactly a local trip, but I have time up my sleeve. it also means I have things in my calendar, and that’s much needed for my well-being. It’s not that I don’t, and my schedule as is is pretty booked up, but the more sources of joy the better. At the time of writing it’s still a few days from the release of the official info packet, so it’s not as if I need to book flights today or anything. Which (of course) means more time to overthink character and costume ideas! People who know me should not in anyway be shocked by this.

The current leading character idea is less an idea, and more a costume. In short, I really like the idea of a wizard in a 3 piece suit (In conjunction with the whole wanting to dress fancier thing I’m going through, and am bouncing around ideas that will let me do that. Given it’s a modern setting, that cuts down a lot of options, which is both a help and hindrance. Who’s to say I don’t have a formal robe after all? In any case, the suit in question will need to be fitted well enough to run in, not to mention for any possible PARKOUR! It’s early days though, and given my capacity for character ideas, I expect to have more than one backup idea in the tank.

I’m also learning from my experience post Path of the Warden and plan to book a hotel for at least 2 nights afterwards to recover, though I’ll admit I’m morbidly curious about trying the sleeping pods at the airport for an hour or so. Recovery time is much needed, both for the physical and especially the mental effects. I character bleed all over the joint, as discussed previously, and time to calm down from that is essential for me.

So, yeah. Short update. Not much has happened since I last wrote, though I’m glad the green bins in my have finally been picked up. Turns out there were delays, as opposed to me wondering if I’d cursed the entire street by putting the wrong bin out. Also: I have a game idea for Pheno, but I’m keeping that under the hat for the moment. Spoilers…